Masterwork weapons for real masters [House]

[Peregrine]

This house rule introduces several grades of masterwork weapons. The first grade, 'Well-balanced', is identical to the normal masterwork weapons, and is still the minimum standard for magic weapons. Masterwork weapons may give enhancement bonuses to attack and damage, as well as other improvements. (These masterwork properties do not stack with those granted by magical enhancements, except for improved hardness and hit points.)

Each grade of masterwork weapon has a cost listed for the labour in masterworking, and may also have a percentage increase over the base price of a weapon. Add the percentage to the cost of the normal weapon when crafting that, and use the labour cost of masterworking, and the listed Craft DC, to determine the crafting time and expenses of the masterwork component.

I: Well-balanced
This weapon has been crafted with an eye for detail. As such, the balance is good, making it easier to swing accurately. The materials are much the same as those used in an ordinary weapon of its type, although the smith may have chosen them with a little care.
+1 attack, Cost +300gp. Craft DC 20

II: Excellent materials
The smith who crafted this weapon chose his materials very selectively and did not hesitate to discard anything that was subpar.
+1 attack, +2 hardness, +10 hit points. Cost +100% +450gp, Craft DC 20

III: Superbly weighted
Through excellent selection and use of raw materials, this weapon has been crafted to an outstanding quality. Its weight profile gives it great accuracy and an edge on damage over that of lesser weapons.
+2 attack, +1 damage, +2 hardness, +10 hit points. Cost +100% +4,200gp, Craft DC 25

IV: Expert metallurgy
This degree of masterworking requires the use of special metals. Not only are the materials chosen with utmost care, they are then further worked to improve their qualities. Like masterworking, this metalworking is made as if it were a separate component with its own Craft checks. As well as the costs and benefits of a superbly weighted item, such a weapon has the following properties:

Adamantine
Expertly worked adamantine is even harder than normal, and can be made to hold a finer edge, or strike harder if used in a blunt weapon.
+2/3 hit points compared to steel (50 hit points/inch), keen (if piercing or slashing) or crushing* (if bludgeoning) property. Cost +7,800gp, Craft DC 25

Cold iron
Expertly worked cold iron is actually forged below room temperature. The chill seeps into the metal permanently, causing it to do cold damage when striking targets. The grip of the weapon must be specially bound to protect the wielder from this cold.
+1d6 cold damage on successful hit. Cost +7,200gp, Craft DC 25

Mithral
Expertly worked mithral feels extremely light to the hand. It is superb for thrown weapons. Its untarnishing, mirrorlike shine also makes it a popular metal for looks alone.
Range increment +10ft, uses normal threat range and multiplier for critical hits. Cost +6,900gp, Craft DC 25

* Extra weapon property: Crushing
This property increases the critical multiplier of a weapon. Only slashing and bludgeoning weapons can be crushing (and of slashing weapons, only axes and the like are normally given this property). The critical multiplier improves from x2 to x3, from x3 to x5, or from x4 to x7. (For balance reasons, this property should not be allowed to stack with any other effect that improves the critical hit properties of a weapon, unless you let those other properties stack with each other.)
Moderate transmutation; CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, greater magic weapon; Price +1 bonus.

Additional rule: Crafting with special materials
The rules do not, as far as I can see, say how to craft an item out of, say, adamantine, instead of buying it. (Most special materials must be masterwork, but it doesn't specify how to divide the crafting cost between the item and the masterwork component.) So here are some rules I came up with.

To craft an adamantine or mithral item, subtract the cost of a normal masterwork item from the listed cost modifier, and add the difference to the cost of the item to determine crafting time and expenses. Craft the masterwork component normally.

To craft a darkwood item, add 10gp/lb to the cost of the item to determine crafting time and expenses. Craft the masterwork component normally.

To craft a dragonhide item, determine all crafting times as normal, but then double the expenses. (I know it's strange. But the rules say it costs twice as much to make but takes no extra time.)

Cold iron items do not need to be masterwork. Double the cost of the item to determine crafting time and expenses. If making it masterwork, craft the masterwork component normally.

Silver weapons do not need to be masterwork, and items are silvered after being crafted normally. To alchemically bond silver to a steel item, use the Craft (alchemy) skill with the listed cost modifier and a Craft DC 20.

[Peregrine]

More materials
Lead
Lead is disdained by weaponsmiths and alchemists alike. To the former, it is generally only used for sling bullets, good for a single use and then forgotten. To the latter, it is the basest of metals, fit only for transforming into better substances (if only they could figure it out).

Nonetheless, alchemically-pure lead can be made into a useful, if sinister weapon. It must be expertly worked in order to be hard enough for the purpose; but once made into a fit weapon, it is capable of transmitting negative energy when hitting a target. The weapon only has this ability when used by a being with some connection to negative energy, such as an evil cleric or an undead creature; and it does not function against such creatures.

Refining lead to be alchemically pure requires a Craft (alchemy) check against DC 15. Cost modifiers are as follows:
{table][tr][td]Type of weapon[/td][td]Item cost modifier[/td][/tr][tr][td]Ammunition[/td][td]+1gp[/td][/tr][tr][td]Light weapon[/td][td]+10gp[/td][/tr][tr][td]One-handed weapon, or one head of a double weapon[/td][td]+45gp[/td][/tr][tr][td]Two-handed weapon, or both heads of a double weapon[/td][td]+90gp[/td][/tr][/table]
Alchemically-pure lead adds 50% weight compared to steel weapons and has hardness 5, 20 hit points/inch.

An expertly-worked alchemical lead weapon has these properties:
+1d4 negative energy damage on successful hit. Cost +7,200gp, Craft DC 25

Tin
Offer a warrior a tin weapon and he'll laugh at you. The very few alchemists and weaponsmiths who deal in alchemically-pure tin weapons usually give it another name, such as 'white steel' or 'aermetal'. Its uses are few, but not insignificant. Tin -- sorry, 'aermetal' weapons bypass the hardness or damage reduction of creatures and objects made of stone or earth, or with the [earth] subtype. Unless expertly worked, they have a 75% chance of breaking on a successful strike; for this reason, aermetal ammunition is slightly more common than melee weapons.

Refining tin to be alchemically pure 'aermetal' requires a Craft (alchemy) check against DC 20. Cost modifiers are as follows:
{table][tr][td]Type of weapon[/td][td]Item cost modifier[/td][/tr][tr][td]Ammunition[/td][td]+40gp[/td][/tr][tr][td]Light weapon[/td][td]+400gp[/td][/tr][tr][td]One-handed weapon, or one head of a double weapon[/td][td]+1,800gp[/td][/tr][tr][td]Two-handed weapon, or both heads of a double weapon[/td][td]+3,600gp[/td][/tr][/table]
Aermetal weighs 25% less than steel. It has hardness 2 and 10 hit points/inch.

An expertly-worked aermetal weapon has the following properties:
No chance of breaking on a hit, hardness equal to steel. Cost +2,100gp, Craft DC 25

[Loren_and_Kivsith]

I like the idea of having extra levels of masterwork weapons, and I like how you've worked that out. Perhaps the craft DC should be a little higher than 20 for the "excellent materials," though, since it has better benefits, but the same DC as the "well-balanced."

I like the idea of common metals like lead and tin for use in weapons, but I don't get why tin has a special effect on earth and stone creatures. Could you explain this to me?

[Peregrine]

At last! A comment!

I like the idea of having extra levels of masterwork weapons, and I like how you've worked that out. Perhaps the craft DC should be a little higher than 20 for the "excellent materials," though, since it has better benefits, but the same DC as the "well-balanced."

The idea there was that "excellent materials" just meant being a little more picky in choosing your materials. It costs you more money, which you pass on to the customer, and takes a little longer because of how crafting cost affects the checks needed, but it isn't really any harder. (Actually, bumping up the DC would make it possible to finish faster.)

I like the idea of common metals like lead and tin for use in weapons, but I don't get why tin has a special effect on earth and stone creatures. Could you explain this to me?

Well, the idea was not to make them 'common', really. Honestly, I got the idea from Mongoose Publishing's Ultimate Equipment Guide, which has a few cool materials in there, including 'alchemically pure' gold, silver and copper. (Gold carries a slight positive-energy effect, copper 'flows' together and so is hard to damage, silver is basically the same as the standard silvered weapons.)

Tin and lead are also among the classic metals of alchemy (gold, silver, copper, tin, iron, lead and mercury constitute one list I've seen in a few places), which is why I picked those two. While doing some googling about to find ideas for their properties, I found one bit of mystic mumbo-jumbo that associated tin with 'breath', as in air and the 'breath of life'. That's what gave me the idea to make it effective against earth creatures. (Lead being heavy, dull, and somewhat poisonous is what lead me to associate it with negative energy. The effect I ascribed to it is actually nearly the opposite of what alchemically-pure gold does in the Ultimate Equipment Guide.)

[I_Got_This_Name]

(Edit: Simu'd by the original poster)

They're alchemically refined for purity in their elemental essence, or some such gibberish.

An Excellent Materials item costs twice as much as a normal quality item, plus 450 GP, and so takes much longer to craft, but it's not much harder work, I guess.

What about high-grade Bronze?

[ShipWrecked]

this is interesting I do like it. very good job.

[Abd al-Azrad]

Crushing seems way too powerful an ability- significantly better than keen for any critical multiplier of >x2. A x7 critical multiplier? That's crazy powerful.

[Peregrine]

What about high-grade Bronze?

Yeah, I considered that... still am in fact. :) It might be nice to take bronze from 'second-rate metal' status, only good for pre-iron cultures, to something still useful in the average D&D culture. And while it didn't fit the 'alchemically pure' idea that I was borrowing, the fact that it's an alloy of copper and tin gives me a good starting place for giving it properties.

this is interesting I do like it. very good job.

Thank you. :)

Crushing seems way too powerful an ability- significantly better than keen for any critical multiplier of >x2. A x7 critical multiplier? That's crazy powerful.

Actually it's mathematically equivalent to keen. 20/x7 is on par with 15-20/x2, like a keen scimitar.

[Abd al-Azrad]

Actually it's mathematically equivalent to keen. 20/x7 is on par with 15-20/x2, like a keen scimitar.

I know. Frankly, I wasn't really thinking about the math when I complained- it was just a gut reaction to seeing a x7 multiplier.

Let's see... .05x7 + .95x1= 1.3, and .1x4 + .9x1= 1.3. Stupid 1.3s. Stupid probability.

[Fualkner Asiniti]

Great ideas, I like them all. I have another material...

Glass: Alchemically-pure glass, mixed with other metals, makes a weapon with curious qualities: it can reveal the invisiblity of naturally invisible monsters. They may reinvoke it as a free action on their turn.

Added effects: Not subject to usual limits of glass, 10% chance of disrupting invisiblity.

[Abardam]

Now you're stealing from me! I tried making rules for better masterwork weapons once. Yours are so much better, though. Except for that negative energy stuff. Where does it come from? Does it channel negative energy? Does it only work when wielded by an evil cleric?

[Peregrine]

Great ideas, I like them all. I have another material...

I like the idea. :) Countering invisibility seems like an excellent flavour match for glass. You might want to clarify the mechanics, though.

Let's see... .05x7 + .95x1= 1.3, and .1x4 + .9x1= 1.3. Stupid 1.3s. Stupid probability.

Oh gosh... I know I've been doing this critical probability stuff too long when I can look at that and see exactly what you're doing, what shortcuts you've taken, and why they're valid... :-[

(Incidentally, since this was my example, .3x2 + .7x1 = 1.3... and just for completeness, .15x3 + .85x1 = 1.3)

Now you're stealing from me! I tried making rules for better masterwork weapons once.

Not intentionally... did you post them here? I do seem to remember seeing something like it once, way back when...

Yours are so much better, though. Except for that negative energy stuff. Where does it come from? Does it channel negative energy? Does it only work when wielded by an evil cleric?

Well, the metal itself has a certain affinity for negative energy, and when wielded by a being with a similar affinity (like an evil cleric, an undead creature, or potentially many others I haven't considered, which is why I haven't made a definitive list), it develops a certain 'charge' of negative energy.

[Abardam]

Not intentionally... did you post them here? I do seem to remember seeing something like it once, way back when...

Uh. No. I wrote it down.

[Peregrine]

Uh. No. I wrote it down.

Ahh, then there must be a third person with the idea for more degrees of masterwork weapons! :o

And now, some sample weapons.

Brightblade
Did we mention that expertly-worked mithral has an 'untarnishing, mirrorlike shine'? It does. This longsword redefines shiny. You could use it for a shaving mirror. It's so shiny that the last thing your hapless foe will see is his awestruck face reflected in the blade. Paladins too cheap for a holy avenger will often carry one of these, because shiny and paladin just go together. It's so shiny you'll attract dire jackdaws. Are you getting the point yet?

Oh, and it's nice and easy to throw too. Throwing a sword is rarely a good idea. But if you have to throw a sword, you could do a lot worse than to throw this.

Medium one-handed melee weapon.
+2 to attack, 1d8+1 damage, crit 19-20/x2.
May be thrown, -4 penalty to attack, range increment 20ft.
Weight 2lb, hardness 17, 15hp.
Market price 13,130gp.

To craft: mithral longsword, 2,030gp, Craft DC 15; masterwork (IV), 4,200gp, Craft DC 25; expertly-worked mithral, 6,900gp, Craft DC 25.

Deathfist
This mace was forged as a prototype for a necromantic priest who wanted to equip an undead army with them. The cost proved too much to waste on skeletons, however, and the priest now wields the mace himself.

Medium one-handed melee weapon.
+2 to attack, 1d8+1 damage (+1d4 negative energy), crit 20/x2.
Weight 12lb, hardness 7, 13hp.
Market price 11,514gp.

To craft: lead heavy mace, 114gp, Craft DC 12; masterwork (IV), 4,200gp, Craft DC 25; expertly-worked lead, 7,200gp, Craft DC 25.

Royal kilij
This scimitar has a slightly tapered blade that flares toward the tip, improving its cutting power. The back edge of the blade has a wide cross-section to strengthen the weapon, and it has a carefully weighted pommel fixed to the hilt. Every inch of this weapon has been carefully crafted to make it easy to wield, yet focus great force on the cutting edge.

Medium one-handed melee weapon.
+2 to attack, 1d6+1 damage, crit 18-20/x2.
Weight 4lb, hardness 12, 15hp.
Market price 4,230gp.

To craft: scimitar, 30gp, Craft DC 15; masterwork (III), 4,200gp, Craft DC 25.

Shear
This glaive belongs to Skeiron, an air elemental and captain of an army fighting against forces from the Elemental Plane of Earth. It is said to have been forged for him by a mortal weaponsmith from a cult of sky-worshippers.

Large two-handed melee weapon (reach 15-20ft.)
+2 to attack, 1d10+1 damage, crit 20/x3.
Bypasses hardness or damage reduction of earth and earth creatures.
Weight 15lb, hardness 12, 11hp.
Market price 13,516gp

To craft: aermetal glaive, 7,216gp, Craft DC 15; masterwork (IV), 4,200gp, Craft DC 25; expertly-worked aermetal, 2,100gp, Craft DC 25.

[Eighth_Seraph]

Wow, aermetal works perfectly for my current war against crysmals, and subsequently the entire elemental plane of earth. Is it okay if I use it for something that I'm going to be posting here very soon?

[Peregrine]

Absolutely. :) Although to be fair, maybe I should make some stats for crystal weapons, favoured by earth creatures...